The chiefs spoke the words mentioned here to the Messenger Shu`ayb, but intended it for those who followed his religion too. The statement,

﴿أَوَلَوْ كُنَّا كَـرِهِينَ﴾

("Even though we hate it''), means, would you force us to do that, even though we hate what you are calling us to Certainly if we revert to your religion and accept your ways, we will have uttered a tremendous lie against Allah by calling partners as rivals to Him,

﴿وَمَا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّعُودَ فِيهَآ إِلاَ أَن يَشَآءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا﴾

(And it is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, should will.) This part of the Ayah refers all matters to Allah's will, and certainly, He has perfect knowledge of all matters and His observation encompasses all things,

﴿عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا﴾

(In Allah (Alone) we put our trust. ), concerning all our affairs, what we practice of them and what we ignore,

﴿رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ﴾

(Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth) judge between us and our people and give us victory over them,

﴿وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْفَـتِحِينَ﴾

(for You are the best of those who give judgment) and You are the Most Just Who never wrongs any in His judgment.

﴿وَقَالَ الْمَلأ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ لَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً لَّخَـسِرُونَ - فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِى دَارِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ - الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ شُعَيْبًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْاْ فِيهَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ شُعَيْبًا كَانُواْ هُمُ الْخَـسِرِينَ ﴾

(90. The chiefs of those who disbelieved among his people said (to their people): "If you follow Shu`ayb, be sure then you will be the losers!'') (91. So the earthquake seized them and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes.) (92. Those who belied Shu`ayb, became as if they had never dwelt there (in their homes). Those who belied Shu`ayb, they were the losers.) Allah describes the enormity of disbelief, rebellion, transgression and misguidance (of Shu`ayb's people) and the defiance of truth encrypted in their hearts. They vowed, saying,

﴿لَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً لَّخَـسِرُونَ﴾

("If you follow Shu`ayb, be sure then you will be the losers!'') Allah answered them,

﴿فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الرَّجْفَةُ فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ ﴾

(So the earthquake seized them and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes) Allah said that the earthquake shook them, as punishment for threatening to expel Shu`ayb and his followers. Allah mentioned their end again in Suah Hud,

﴿وَلَمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا نَجَّيْنَا شُعَيْبًا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِّنَّا وَأَخَذَتِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ الصَّيْحَةُ فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِى دِيَـرِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ ﴾

(And when Our commandment came, We saved Shu`ayb and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us. And the Sayhah (loud cry) seized the wrongdoers, and they lay (dead) prostrate in their homes.) ﴿11:94﴾ This Ayah mentions the Sayhah (cry) that struck them after they mocked Shu`ayb, saying,

﴿أَصَلَوَتُكَ تَأْمُرُكَ﴾

(Does your Salah (prayer) command you...) so it was befitting to mention here the cry that made them silence. In Surat Ash-Shu`ara', Allah said,

﴿فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ الظُّلَّةِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴾

(But they belied him, so the torment of the Day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud) seized them. Indeed that was the torment of a Great Day) ﴿26:189﴾ because they challenged Shu`ayb,

﴿فَأَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفاً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ﴾

("So cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful!'') ﴿26:187﴾. Therefore, Allah stated that each of these forms of punishment struck them on the Day of the Shadow. First,

﴿فَأَخَذَهُمْ عَذَابُ يَوْمِ الظُّلَّةِ﴾

(So the torment of the Day of Shadow (a gloomy cloud) seized them) ﴿26:189﴾ when a gloomy cloud came over them (containing) fire, flames and a tremendous light. Next, a cry from the sky descended on them and a tremor shook them from beneath. Consequently, their souls were captured, their lives were taken and their bodies became idle,

﴿فَأَصْبَحُواْ فِي دَارِهِمْ جَـثِمِينَ﴾

(and they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes). Allah said next,

﴿كَأَن لَّمْ يَغْنَوْاْ فِيهَآ﴾

(They became as if they had never dwelt there) meaning, after the torment seized them, it looked as if they never dwelled in the land from which they wanted to expel their Messenger Shu`ayb and his followers. Here, Allah refuted their earlier statement,

﴿الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ شُعَيْبًا كَانُواْ هُمُ الْخَـسِرِينَ﴾

(Those who belied Shu`ayb, they were the losers.)

﴿فَتَوَلَّى عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَـلَـتِ رَبِّى وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ فَكَيْفَ ءَاسَى عَلَى قَوْمٍ كَـفِرِينَ ﴾

(93. Then he (Shu`ayb) turned from them and said: "O my people! I have indeed conveyed my Lord's Messages unto you and I have given you good advice. Then how can I grieve over people who are disbelievers.'') Prophet Shu`ayb, peace be upon him, turned away from his people after the torment, punishment and destruction struck them, admonishing and censuring them by saying to them,

﴿يَقَوْمِ لَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُمْ رِسَـلَـتِ رَبِّى وَنَصَحْتُ لَكُمْ﴾

("O my people! I have indeed conveyed my Lord's Messages unto you and I have given you good advice.'') Shu`ayb said, I have conveyed to you what I was sent with, so I will not feel any sorrow for you since you disbelieved in what I brought you,

﴿فَكَيْفَ ءَاسَى عَلَى قَوْمٍ كَـفِرِينَ﴾

("Then how can I grieve over pepple who are disbelievers'')

﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّبِىٍّ إِلاَ أَخَذْنَا أَهْلَهَا بِالْبَأْسَآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ - ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّى عَفَواْ وَّقَالُواْ قَدْ مَسَّ ءَابَاءَنَا الضَّرَّآءُ وَالسَّرَّآءُ فَأَخَذْنَـهُمْ بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ ﴾

(94. And We sent no Prophet unto any town (and they denied him), but We seized its people with Ba'sa' and Darra', so that they might humble themselves (to Allah).) (95. Then We changed the evil for the good, until they `Afaw (increased), and said: "Our fathers were touched with evil and with good.'' So We seized them all of a sudden while they were unaware.)